Improper site management can cause accidents as a result of a hazardous liquid spillage or worse, injuries to employees from spillages which could have been avoided. Bruce Wishart, founder and managing director at Empteezy, has shared his insight into effective premises management and three key factors to take into consideration.

1. One of the most fundamental factors to consider is the amount of liquid on site and the types of containers used to store it (drums or IBC). Further consideration should be given to “empty” containers, which are often overlooked when looking at storage requirements; they will inevitably have residue in them and therefore still need to be stored correctly.

2. Storage units should be placed in areas which minimise the risks to the environment, the health and safety of employees, and the public, in the event of a spill out with the storage unit. Consider where, in the event of a spill, the liquid would go and whether it would pollute the land, surface or ground waters.

3. Check that the storage products you are considering purchasing have legally compliant bund capacities and be aware that if the system has a bund that is open to the elements rainwater will collect in it and reduce its capacity, this is something you must make allowance for. Whether the bund is open to the elements or not you must always check the contents of the sump before disposal to ensure you do not cause a pollution incident by discharging untested liquid.

The Tank Museum, located in Dorset, has incorporated these three tips into its site management and day-to-day running, to improve health and safety and maximise storage space with the aim of reducing the risk of an incident.

Home to 300 armoured vehicles which are central to live historic exhibitions, maximising covered space to house the vehicles is a priority. Existing lubricants and oil storage were taking up too much space in the current location, so Empteezy offered a solution.

Having worked in partnership with The Tank Museum for some time, Empteezy has significantly increased vehicle storage space on site by supplying a DPU32-8 storage unit, which accommodates 32 x 205 litre drums or 8 x 1000ltr IBC, or a combination of both.

Considering both the environmental impact and health and safety implications when relocating hazardous liquids is vital, which is why The Tank Museum has incorporated Empteezy’s expert advice and three-step guide above. The storage unit is fully compliant with UK regulations relating to the sump capacity, meaning it can accommodate 25% of the combined total of the liquids stored.

A key learning for the company has been how careful and safe storage can free up vital space which can be used for business development, while ensuring effective liquid storage and onsite health and safety and they are with the aid of Lottery funding building a new maintenance facility, with construction due to start in August 2017.